Strikes have caused delays at Melbourne Airport this morning, with passengers advised to allow extra time as workers stop work.
“PSA: Protected strikes may lead to minor delays at T3/4 security checkpoint between 06:00 and 08:00 tomorrow (Tuesday 20 August),” the airport said in a statement on Monday.
‘We advise Virgin Australia Jetstar and Rex passengers travelling between these times to allow an additional 15 minutes processing time.’
The protected strike will last two weeks and will involve security personnel, baggage handling personnel and logistics staff.
This came after Melbourne Airport promised to proceed with the construction of an underground rail link between the airport and the CBD, despite objections from the state government.
After communications broke down between the airport and the Victorian Government, a mediator was brought in to review the $10 billion project.
Neil Scales concluded that a rail link could be built via an existing above-ground corridor rather than an underground network, which would take longer.
Danny Pearson, Victoria’s Minister for Transport Infrastructure, said the mediator’s report showed a metro station would “cost taxpayers billions more”.
Strikes have caused delays at Melbourne Airport’s T3/4 security checkpoint this morning. Passengers are advised to allow extra time (the airport is pictured)
The Transport Workers’ Union, which represents aircraft suppliers, baggage handlers, freight handlers, caterers, drivers, cabin crew, pilots, cleaners, security guards and safety officers, has sided with the state government.
“Now that an independent arbiter has made clear recommendations, it is up to Melbourne Airport to bypass the start of operations and decide whether it wants to be known forever as a greedy parking operator, or as an airport operator that does the right thing for workers and travellers,” TWU branch secretary Mem Suleyman said in a statement in June.
‘This is an essential and long-awaited public transport network that will support aviation workers, airports, airlines and the public to get to work.
“It is time for both parties to sit down again and engage in a mature dialogue to get this project underway as soon as possible.”
This came after American comedian Eric André accused Australian border officials of “racial prejudice against people of colour” after he was frisked at Melbourne airport.
André, 41, launched a tirade on social media after he was pulled aside by a sniffer dog for a random search upon landing in Melbourne on Monday.
American comedian Eric André (pictured) accused Australian border officials of “racial prejudice against people of color” after he was frisked at Melbourne airport on Monday
The Florida-born entertainer claimed he was detained by staff in terminal two after a 25-hour flight from New York via Los Angeles.
“I was pulled out of the queue and put in a special queue in Melbourne where I was thoroughly sniffed by a dog,” he explained in an Instagram post.
‘It’s one of many times I’ve been racially profiled at the airport.
‘So this is a message to all Black, Brown and Indigenous people travelling through Melbourne today, particularly if you are using Qantas International through terminal two, please be careful. They are frisking Black, Brown and Indigenous people.
The Eric Andre Show host vowed never to return to Melbourne Airport alone again and urged anyone who books him in the city to also bring a police escort.
He asked his followers to send him Melbourne Airport’s complaints line and the contact details of Australian lawyers specialising in discrimination following the incident.